(Newser)
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Iran is attracting some attention after it sentenced American hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal to eight years in prison yesterday. The duo's lawyer is vowing an appeal, saying, "I will use entire legal capacity to defend them." He has 20 days to do so, and the AP notes that sentences in such cases are often reduced significantly on appeal. The case of Sarah Shourd, the third hiker detained who was released on bail last year, "is still open and will be tried in absentia," says the chief prosecutor.

Enough is enough, says Hillary Clinton, saying that she's "deeply disappointed" by the sentences. The secretary of state called for Bauer and Fattal's immediate release, adding that "it is time for them to return home and be reunited with their families." It's worth noting that Iran's foreign minister earlier this month said he hoped the hikers' trial would "lead to their freedom"—an indication of a split between Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's administration and hardline judges.

How do we know they aren't spies? The goverment(behind the scenes covert operations)often recruits young people for these missions. Either way that's the chance you take in traveling to parts of the globe where US citizens are disliked. Luck is on their side they could have just"disappeared".

Boba-jef

Aug 21, 2011 4:02 PM CDT

http://www.uncoverage.net/2011/08/the-american-hikers-arrested-on-iraniraq-border-as-spies-what-really-happened/#more-76103 - The American “Hikers” Arrested on Iran/Iraq Border as Spies: What Really Happened? http://www.akpress.org/2009/items/suffledhowitgushakpress - Suffled How it Gush: A North American Anarchist in the Balkans by Shon Meckfessel http://www.komonews.com/news/local/52270842.html ~ about Shon Meckfessel http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=05fd43739c3af58af94000fd7909eb45 ~ Meckfessel's version.

Boba-jef

Aug 21, 2011 12:56 PM CDT

I wonder what the sentence would be for three 'Activist', Muslim, Journalists who went "hiking" in the foothills near Juarez, MX and accidentally crossed the Rio Grande in to the U.S.?